Shell and projectile



CWI

R. L. WRIGHT. s Hr-:LL AND Paoszcmf. APPLICATIGN FlLEaffE. 23.1918.V

Patented Apr. M1921;

W w fm UNITED STATES UHAI l PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT LEE WRIGHT, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

SHELL .AND PROJECTILE.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

Application filed February 23, 1918. Serial No. 218,797.

To all lwhom 'it may cof/wem.'

Be it known that I, ROBERT LEE WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shells andProjectiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to ammunition for guns, rifles or the like,and has, for an object to provide projectiles of any kind with extendedor attenuated points whereby to penetrate an object with greatereiciency or to a greater depth, to decrease resistance to travel throughair or water, as well as to obtain other advantages and results whichwill become apparent as the nature of the invention is more clearlyunderstood.

One of the objects of the invention is to produce a shell and bomb ofthe described character which will not ricochet or rebound when strikingthe surface of the water but will dive or submerge at the place wherethe said shell strikes the water.

Another object of the invention is the production of a shell withgreater penetrating power than the projectile now in general use.

Another object of the invention is to produce a shell of increasedvelocity either in air or water because of the peculiar formation andconstruction of the said projectile.

My improvement is adaptable to both explosive and non-explosiveprojectiles, and in the latter case the peculiar construction of myimprovement facilitates the explosion of .the shell upon contact withany object intended to be struck. l

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel details of construction and combination of parts more fullyhereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in the claims. e

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of thisspecification, in which like numerals designate like parts in all theviews Figure l is a side elevation of my 1mproved shell in its simplestform.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of an explosive shell embodying myinventlon.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of a modified form of explosive shell, and

Fig. 4 is a side view of a mod1.ed form of projectile, or shell partly1n section.

Fig. 5 shows another modification of my invention, and

Fig. 6 is a view of a further modification of my invention.

As shown by Fig. 1 of the drawing, a solid non-explosive projectile l isshown having a slender attenuated nose 2, projecting from the frontthereof, the base of the nose being tapered and curved to conform to thefront end of the projectile, thereby eliminating any obstruction toengage the medium through which the projectile is passing.

The length of the nose 2 is proportioned to the size and shape of theprojectile, but I do not limit myself to any particular length of noseon the projectile.

The main purpose of the peculiar shaped nose on my improved shell is topierce the surface of water when-the shell strikes and guide theprojectile beneath the water.

The nose also divides the medium through which the projectile passes andguides the projectile through said medium, whethervit be air, water orsolid material.

In Fig. 2 is shown an explosive shell similar in exterior to Fig. l, butthe nose 2a extends through the shell in a guide 2b to`a point adjacentthe detonating or explosive cap 5 in the base of the shell. Theelongation of the nose 2'r1 is provided with shoulders 6 and 7, thelatter to act against a compression spring 8 and the former to limit theoutward movement of the nose 2.

A guide pipe 3 surrounds the elongation of the nose to preventinterference by the explosive charge contained in the projectile orshell.

The pipe 3 is perforated to enable the exploded cap to reach the charge.

When the projectile or shell strikes, the nose 211 is forced in, theinner end strikes the cap 5, and the shell is exploded.

Fig. 3 is similar to Fig. 2, and in addition has an electric connection,consisting of a battery 10, and conductor 11 and 12, connecting thebattery with the rod 2a and the cap 5, respectively. The inner extremityof the rod 2a and the collar 7 are insulated from the tube 3 and spring8 to insure contact between the rod 2a and the cap 5. If the impact doesnot set olf the cap, the current passing through the cap or metalliccasing which contains the detonating substance when the rod touches thecap insures the explosion of said cap by reason of the heat SMMoccasioned by the more or less imperfect contact which must occurbetween the rod and cap casing, especially where a current of highamperage is employed.

In F ig. 4 the shell 1b is provided with a nose 2c extended to aconsiderable distance. The shoulder 7, spring 8, tube 3 base plug 4 andcap 5 are similar to that shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The extended nose 2cis provided with a plurality of bombs 13 each of which consists of acasing containing a charge 14, and cap and fuse 14a, and a plunger 15controlled by a spring 16 to set ofi' the charge. In the bombsintermediate the shell and the bomb on the extremity of the nose 2c aportion of the nose or rod 2c acts as the plunger for setting off thebombs and shell.

In Fig. 5 is shown a shell 1d in a cartridge 1e. The shell is providedwith an extended nose 1', and which also reaches through the cartridgeto the cap 18. A spring 8a and shoulder 9il keep the nose 1t in aforward position. IVhen the nose is hit by an object, the cap 18 isexploded and fires the charge in the cartridge, thereby ejecting theshell therefrom.

In Fig. 6 is also shown a shell S secured to a cartridge S having anextended nose t with a slidable point P in the forward extremitythereof. When the point P is forced inward by an object which hits orstrikes said point, it closes a circuit between the conductor W and W',said conductors connecting a battery B with caps m in the end and sidesof the cartridge S', as shown. When the point P is struck the caps m areexploded and the shell is fired from the cartridge.

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of theconstruction as well as the arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention, and therefore I do not wish to be limitedto the above disclosure except as may be required by the claims.

I reserve the right to use any of the well known time devices on the gunshells, bombs, and shell projectiles, cartridges and other explosives.

W'hat I claim is:

1. An ordnance shell or projectile having a projection on its nosecarrying an explosive charge.

2. An ordnance shell or projectile having a projection on its nosecarrying an explosive charge and means for exploding the charge uponimpact.

3. An ordnance shell carrying explosive charges in front of the shelland within the shell and means for exploding the charge in front of theshell to cause the explosion of the charge within the shell.

4. An ordnance Shell, means on the front of the shell for carrying anexplosive charge communicating with the charge in the shell to explodeit.

5. An ordnance shell, means on the front of the shell carrying anexplosive charge communicating with the shell charge, and means forfiring by contact the explosive charge in front of the shell.

6. An ordnance shell carrying on its front an explosive charge and afiring device adapted to explode the charge in front of tlilelshell andthen explode the charge in the s e l.

7. An ordnance shell or projectile having a series of explosive chargesand means for exploding the charges in succession.

8. An ordnance shell or projectile having an extension on its nosecarrying a series of explosive charges and means for exploding theseries of charges.

9. An ordnance shell, means for carrying explosive charges and means forfiring the charges in front of the shell and extending through thecharge in the shell to operate the means for exploding that charge.

10. A projectile, a projection adapted to be secured in the nose of theprojectile and having cavities adapted to hold explosive charges andmeans for exploding the charges.

l1. An ordnance shell having a part for holding and exploding a chargein front of the shell and having a part for holding a charge within theshell, and means for communicating between the two parts.

12. An ordnance shell carrying an explosive charge in front of the shelland explosive charge within the shell, means to ignite the explosivecharge in front of the shell and means to ignite the explosive charge inthe shell.

13. An ordnance shell having an explosive charge within and means toignite the explosive charge simultaneously with a pluralty of means orseparately if one means fai s.

14. An ordnance shell having a cavity for explosives within, a tubecarrying separate explosive extending throu h said cavity and secured tothe shell an meanu to ignite said explosive within said tube.

15. An ordnance shell having a cavity for explosives within, a tubecarrying separate explosive with the forward end of tube secured in theforward part of the shell and the rear end of the tube extending withinthe cavity, and means to ignite said explosive within said tube. 'j

16. An ordnance projectile having a projection secured to the forwardend thereof extending axially and formed with a plurality of cavitieswithin said projection, an explosive charge within each of said cavitiesand means secured in said projection in a way to ignite said explosivecharge withnu.. nimuuiuuvl ANU j in each of said plurality of cavitieswithin said projection.

17. An ordnance projectile having a projection secured to the forwardend thereof extending axially and formed with a cavity within saidprojection, an explosive charge within said cavity and means securedwithin said projection in a way to ignite said explosive charge withinsaid cavity within said projection.

18. An ordnance projectile having a projection secured to the forwardend thereof extending axially, a plurality of cavities formed withinsaid projection, an explosive charge within each of said cavities, meansto ignite and explode the most forward explosive charge within saidprojection' and means to ignite and explode a second explosive chargewithin said projection with the effects and force of the explosion ofthe said most forward rst explosive charge.

19. An ordnance projectile having a projection secured to the forwardend thereof extending axially, a plurality of cavities formed withinsaid projection, an explosive charge within each of said cavities, acontact ring pin and fuse secured within the forward part of saidprojection n a way to ignite and explode the most forward exp1o sivecharge within said projection when the said contact firing pin comes incontact with the ground, object or target and means to ignite andexplode a second explosive charge within said projection with theeffects and force of the explosion of the said most forward firstexplosive charge.

20. An ordnance projectile having a projection secured to the forwardend thereof extending axially and formed with a plurality of bombs, saidbombs having the interior larger in circumference in the center andsloping from the center in a way to form a point at each end, forming acavity for explosives of such shape within each bomb, an explosivecharge within each of said cavities and means secured in said projectionin a way to ignite said explosive charge within each of said cavities ofsaid plurality of bombs.

21. An ordnance projectile having a projection secured to the forwardend thereof extendin axially and formed with a bomb, said bom having theinterior larger in circumference in the center and sloping from thecenter in a way to form a point at each end of said bomb, formin acavity for explosives of such shape wit in said bomb, an

wmf 'I SMAK explosive charge within said cavity and meansv securedwithin said projection in a way to ignite said explosive charge withinthe cavity of said bomb.

22. An ordnance projectile having a projection secured to the forwardend thereof extending axially and formed with a plurality of cavitiesfor explosives within said projection, an explosive charge within eachof said cavities, a contact firing pin with means to hold same inposition secured in the forward part of said projection and a percussioncap secured in said projection in a way to engage the contact firing pinand explode the cap and ignite the explosives within the projection whenthe contact firing pin comes in contact with the ground, object ortarget.

23. An ordnance shell having a projection secured to the forward endthereof extending axially and formed with a cavity for an explosivecharge within said projection, an explosive charge within said cavityand a contact iirin pin and percussion cap secured in the orward part ofsaid projection in a way to explode the percussion cap by percussionwhen the contact firing pin comes in contact with the ground, object ortarget.

24. An ordnance shell having a projection secured to the forward endthereof extending axially and formed with a cavity for an explosivecharge within said projection, an explosive charge within said cavityand a contact ring pin with a spring to hold same in position, and apercussion cap secured within said projection in a way that the contactfiring pin will explode said percussion cap by percussion when thecontact irin pin comes in contact with the ground, o ject or target.

25. A removable projection to secure to a projectile, said projectionformed with a plurality of cavities for explosives within saidprojection, an explosive char e within each of said cavities, a Contactring pin with means to hold same in position and cap secured within eachof said plurality of cavities within said projection in a way to explodesaid plurality of caps and ignite the explosive charges within saidplurality of cavities within said projection when the contact ring pinsecured in the forward part of said projection comes in contact with theground, object or target. j

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 1n hand.

y ROBERT LEE WRIGHT.

